ROUND 1 - ‘April the First'

The most significant word of each answer (e.g. surname in names) starts with the letter ‘A’

1.

In which town are the administrative headquarters of Buckinghamshire?

2.

Brodick is the main town of which part of Scotland?

3.

What was the name of the 17^th century antiquary who collected and published anecdotes about the lives of such as William Shakespeare, Walter Raleigh and Francis Bacon?

4.

What is the name of the timid but amusing country squire and friend of Sir Toby Belch who appears in Twelfth Night?

5.

Who led the Pilgrimage of Grace?

6.

Which famous 20^th century British politician had the forenames Jeremy John Durham?

7.

What was the name of the politician who became the 1^st Earl of Oxford?

8.

Who wrote of himself: “Few thought he was even a starter/there were many who thought themselves smarter/but he ended PM/CH and OM/an earl and a knight of the garter”?

ROUND 2 - ‘A Presidential Round’

All the answers include the name of a US President

1.

What is the highest peak in North America?

2.

What is the 823ft volcanic plug that overlooks Edinburgh’s Holyroodhouse?

3.

For which 1995 film was Meryl Streep nominated for the Best Actress Oscar?

4.

Who is the only director to have won 4 Oscars?

5.

Middlesborough is the administrative centre of which English county?

6.

Which city is 83 miles from Manchester, 132 miles from London, and 151 miles from Newcastle?

7.

Which group’s albums include Surrealistic Pillow (1967), After Bathing at Baxter’s (1968) and Crown of Creation (1968)?

8.

Which Egyptologist’s discoveries included the tombs of Tuthmose IV and Hatshepsut?

ROUND 3 - ‘April Fools’

Identify the sitcom (Questions 1,2,5,6) or the funny men and women (Questions 3,4,7,8)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

ROUND 4 - No theme

1.

What language has official status in Paraguay as well as Spanish?

2.

“All happy families resemble one another, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” is the opening sentence, in translation, of which novel?

3.

Born in 1893 as Gladys Smith, died in 1979, how was this film actress (co-founder with Chaplin and others of United Artists) better known?

4.

“A property of certain elementary particles, conserved in strong but not in weak interactions and represented by a quantum number equal to the particle’s hypercharge number minus its baryon number”.   What word does the dictionary define thus?

5.

Who is the MP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West?

6.

Who, according to a book first published in 1897, arrived in Whitby on the Demeter?

7.

Galileo died on 8th January 1642.  Which well known physicist was born on Christmas day in the same year?

8.

What is the only anagram in the English language for the word carthorse?

ROUND 5 - 'Easy as ABC’

Each answer contains 3 consecutive letters which are also consecutive in the alphabet (e.g. FIRST might have been an answer since it contains R - S - T)

1.

Which small Pacific country used to be called the Ellice Islands?

2.

Which UK Heavy Metal band had hits with Animal (1987) and Let’s Get Rocked (1992) amongst others?

3.

What did Charles D Barrow of Pennsylvania devise in 1934 and then sell to the Parker Bros. organisation?

4.

What variety of dessert apple is named after a village in Essex?

5.

Which German battleship, sister ship to the Tirpitz, was sunk in 1943 off the coast of Norway by the British battleship the Duke of York?

6.

Nitrous Oxide is more commonly known as what?

7.

What is ‘a style of cinema popular in America in the 40s and 50s in which the darker side of human nature is presented in a bleak, often urban, setting’?

8.

What is the name given to a young grebe?

ROUND 6 - ‘A Colourful Round’

Each answer involves a colour 

1.

An acute infectious disease, marked by the sudden onset of headaches, high fever, jaundice and vomiting, transmitted by mosquitoes and prevented by attenuated live-virus vaccines. What is it commonly known as?

2.

The infectious disease Tuberculosis is sometimes given which nickname?

3.

This World Heritage Site and US National Park is renowned for the sequoia trees that it contains. What is it called?

4.

This French town and World Heritage site is renowned for its Roman theatre and triumphal arch. What is it called?

5.

Although nominated for 3 Oscars (Spencer Tracy for Best Actor, John Sturges for Best Director, Millard Kaufman for Best Screen Play) this film failed to win any.  What was it?

6.

The actor Henry Fonda only ever won one Oscar.  What was the name of the film in which he won his Best Actor Academy Award?

7.

The pirate Edward Teach was killed off the coast of North Carolina in 1718.  By what name is he better known?

8.

In the 10th Century, he explored the Greenland coast and founded Norse colonies there. His son landed in Vinland (often identified as America) in about 1000 A.D.  What is the name of the explorer and founder?

ROUND 7 - 'Withquiz’

All the answers contain part of the name of one of our quiz league teams (in sound if not in spelling)

1.

Which well known song was written by 18th century organist and composer, William Boyce?

2.

John Nash was a Nobel laureate in which discipline?

3.

Who married Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes of Teck?

4.

What 2 organisations would you find either side of Exhibition Road where it joins Cromwell Road in West London?

5.

In which Scottish town do East Fife play their home games?

6.

Where do Rushden & Diamonds FC play their home games?

7.

A very famous 20th century book ends with the words: “... but already it was impossible to say which was which”.  What 2 things were being compared?

8.

Which international organisation was formed in 1969 by David Brower in San Francisco?

1.

What is the most widely used language in Pakistan (though not the official language)?

2.

“Someone must have traduced -----, for without having done anything wrong, he was arrested one fine morning” is the opening sentence, in translation, of which novel?

3.

Born in 1911 as Virginia McMath, died in 1995, how was this film actress (star of Flying Down to Rio) better known?

4.

What two-word expression does the dictionary define as: “A quantity that is real, but non-algebraic, that is, one that is not a root of any polynomial with rational coefficients”?

5.

Who is the MP for Livingston?

6.

Who, according to a book first published in 1817, died aboard a ship amid the Arctic ice fields, after telling his story to the explorer Robert Walton?

7.

Galileo died on 8th January 1642.  Which well known physicist was born on the 8th January 1942 and is probably the only man to have appeared in a Startrek movie and on The Simpsons?

8.

‘Best in prayer’ is a particular apt anagram of what English word?

1.

How many Popes have taken the name Pius?

2.

What was the name of the female Pope in Laurence Durrell’s book?

3.

King’s Cross, Farringdon, Barbican…What comes next?

4.

Warren Street, Oxford Circus, Green Park… What comes next?

5.

What is the capital of the Republic of Macedonia?

6.

What is the capital of Tajikistan?

7.

Which world championship is held at Llanwrtyd Wells?

8.

If the Welsh version of a road sign reads 'Cerbydau Heddlu Yn Unig', how does the English version read?

ROUND 1 - ‘April the First'

The most significant word of each answer (e.g. surname in names) starts with the letter ‘A’

1.

In which town are the administrative headquarters of Buckinghamshire?

Aylesbury

2.

Brodick is the main town of which part of Scotland?

Isle of Arran

3.

What was the name of the 17^th century antiquary who collected and published anecdotes about the lives of such as William Shakespeare, Walter Raleigh and Francis Bacon?

John Aubrey

4.

What is the name of the timid but amusing country squire and friend of Sir Toby Belch who appears in Twelfth Night?

Sir Andrew Aguecheek

5.

Who led the Pilgrimage of Grace?

Robert Aske

6.

Which famous 20^th century British politician had the forenames Jeremy John Durham?

Paddy Ashdown

7.

What was the name of the politician who became the 1^st Earl of Oxford?

Herbert Asquith

(became Prime Minister in 1908)

8.

Who wrote of himself: “Few thought he was even a starter/there were many who thought themselves smarter/but he ended PM/CH and OM/an earl and a knight of the garter”?

Clement Attlee

ROUND 2 - 'A Presidential Round’

All the answers include the name of a US President

1.

What is the highest peak in North America?

Mount McKinley

2.

What is the 823ft volcanic plug that overlooks Edinburgh’s Holyroodhouse?

Arthur’s Seat

(in case you haven’t heard of him, Chester Alan Arthur was the 21^st President, 1881-5)

3.

For which 1995 film was Meryl Streep nominated for the Best Actress Oscar?

The Bridges of Madison County

4.

Who is the only director to have won 4 Oscars?

John Ford

(The Informer in 1935, The Grapes of Wrath in 1940, How Green Was My Valley in 1941 and The Quiet Man in1952)

5.

Middlesborough is the administrative centre of which English county?

Cleveland

6.

Which city is 83 miles from Manchester, 132 miles from London, and 151 miles from Newcastle?

Lincoln

7.

Which group’s albums include Surrealistic Pillow (1967), After Bathing at Baxter’s (1968) and Crown of Creation (1968)?

Jefferson Aeroplane

8.

Which Egyptologist’s discoveries included the tombs of Tuthmose IV and Hatshepsut?

Howard Carter

Identify the sitcom (Questions 1,2,5,6) or the funny men and women (Questions 3,4,7,8)

1.

Keeping Up Appearances

2.

The Liver Birds

3.

Kenneth Horne

4.

Linda Smith

5.

Citizen Smith

6.

Only When I Laugh

7.

George Robey

8.

Jimmy Clitheroe

ROUND 4 - No theme

1.

What language has official status in Paraguay as well as Spanish?

Guarani

2.

“All happy families resemble one another, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” is the opening sentence, in translation, of which novel?

Anna Karenina

(by Tolstoy)

3.

Born in 1893 as Gladys Smith, died in 1979, how was this film actress (co-founder with Chaplin and others of United Artists) better known?

Mary Pickford

4.

“A property of certain elementary particles, conserved in strong but not in weak interactions and represented by a quantum number equal to the particle’s hypercharge number minus its baryon number”.   What word does the dictionary define thus?

Strangeness

5.

Who is the MP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West?

Charles Kennedy

6.

Who, according to a book first published in 1897, arrived in Whitby on the Demeter?

Dracula

7.

Galileo died on 8th January 1642.  Which well known physicist was born on Christmas day in the same year?

Sir Isaac Newton

8.

What is the only anagram in the English language for the word carthorse?

Orchestra

ROUND 5 - ‘Easy as ABC’

Each answer contains 3 consecutive letters which are also consecutive in the alphabet (e.g. FIRST might have been an answer since it contains R - S - T)

1

Which small Pacific country used to be called the Ellice Islands?

TUValu

2.

Which UK Heavy Metal band had hits with Animal (1987) and Let’s Get Rocked (1992) amongst others?

DEF Leppard

3.

What did Charles D Barrow of Pennsylvania devise in 1934 and then sell to the Parker Bros. organisation?

MoNOPoly

4.

What variety of dessert apple is named after a village in Essex?

STUrmer

(or STUrmer Pippin)

5.

Which German battleship, sister ship to the Tirpitz, was sunk in 1943 off the coast of Norway by the British battleship the Duke of York?

ScharnhoRST

6.

Nitrous Oxide is more commonly known as what?

LauGHIng Gas

7.

What is ‘a style of cinema popular in America in the 40s and 50s in which the darker side of human nature is presented in a bleak, often urban, setting’?

FiLM Noir

8.

What is the name given to a young grebe?

DABChick

ROUND 6 - ‘A Colourful Round’

Each answer involves a colour 

1

An acute infectious disease, marked by the sudden onset of headaches, high fever, jaundice and vomiting, transmitted by mosquitoes and prevented by attenuated live-virus vaccines. What is it commonly known as?

Yellow fever

2.

The infectious disease Tuberculosis is sometimes given which nickname?

White Death

3.

This World Heritage Site and US National Park is renowned for the sequoia trees that it contains. What is it called?

Redwood National Park

4.

This French town and World Heritage site is renowned for its Roman theatre and triumphal arch. What is it called?

Orange

5.

Although nominated for 3 Oscars (Spencer Tracy for Best Actor, John Sturges for Best Director, Millard Kaufman for Best Screen Play) this film failed to win any.  What was it?

Bad Day at Black Rock

6.

The actor Henry Fonda only ever won one Oscar.  What was the name of the film in which he won his Best Actor Academy Award?

On Golden Pond

7.

The pirate Edward Teach was killed off the coast of North Carolina in 1718.  By what name is he better known?

Blackbeard

8.

In the 10th Century, he explored the Greenland coast and founded Norse colonies there. His son landed in Vinland (often identified as America) in about 1000 A.D.  What is the name of the explorer and founder?

Erik the Red

ROUND 7 - 'Withquiz’

All the answers contain part of the name of one of our quiz league teams (in sound if not in spelling)

1.

Which well known song was written by 18th century organist and composer, William Boyce?

Hearts of Oak

2.

John Nash was a Nobel laureate in which discipline?

Maths (or Mathematics)

(the subject of the film Beautiful Mind)

3.

Who married Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes of Teck?

George the Fifth

4.

What 2 organisations would you find either side of Exhibition Road where it joins Cromwell Road in West London?

Natural History Museum, and Victoria & Albert Museum

5.

In which Scottish town do East Fife play their home games?

Methil

6.

Where do Rushden & Diamonds FC play their home games?

Nene Park

7.

A very famous 20th century book ends with the words: “... but already it was impossible to say which was which”.  What 2 things were being compared?

Man and Pigs

(in George Orwell’s Animal Farm)

8.

Which international organisation was formed in 1969 by David Brower in San Francisco?

Friends of the Earth

1.

What is the most widely used language in Pakistan (though not the official language)?

Punjabi

2.

“Someone must have traduced -----, for without having done anything wrong, he was arrested one fine morning” is the opening sentence, in translation, of which novel?

The Trial

(by Kafka)

3.

Born in 1911 as Virginia McMath, died in 1995, how was this film actress (star of Flying Down to Rio) better known?

Ginger Rogers

4.

What two-word expression does the dictionary define as: “A quantity that is real, but non-algebraic, that is, one that is not a root of any polynomial with rational coefficients”?

Transcendental Number

5.

Who is the MP for Livingston?

Robin Cook

6.

Who, according to a book first published in 1817, died aboard a ship amid the Arctic ice fields, after telling his story to the explorer Robert Walton?

Victor Frankenstein

7.

Galileo died on 8th January 1642.  Which well known physicist was born on the 8th January 1942 and is probably the only man to have appeared in a Startrek movie and on The Simpsons?

Stephen Hawking

8.

‘Best in prayer’ is a particular apt anagram of what English word?

Presbyterian

1.

How many Popes have taken the name Pius?

12

2.

What was the name of the female Pope in Laurence Durrell’s book?

Joan

3.

King’s Cross, Farringdon, Barbican…What comes next?

Moorgate

(Circle Line)

4.

Warren Street, Oxford Circus, Green Park… What comes next?

Victoria

(Victoria Line)

5.

What is the capital of the Republic of Macedonia?

Skopje

6.

What is the capital of Tajikistan?

Dushanbe

7.

Which world championship is held at Llanwrtyd Wells?

Bog Snorkelling

8.

If the Welsh version of a road sign reads 'Cerbydau Heddlu Yn Unig', how does the English version read?

Police Vehicles Only

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